1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a digital broadcast receiving system for receiving digital television broadcasts typically by way of a satellite. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data reproduction apparatus and a data reproduction method for reproducing a caption to be superimposed that is transmitted by a character broadcasting system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, digital television broadcasting has started recently and it is now possible for viewers not only to view and listen to televised broadcasts but also acquire various transmitted data by means of a digital television receiving set adapted to receive such data.
With a digital television broadcasting system, the caption transmitted by character broadcasting that is to be superimposed on a television program is displayed at a predetermined position on the screen of the television receiving set showing the television program. As far as this patent document is concerned, the expression of “character broadcasting” refers to both data broadcasting and broadcasting of characters/captions to be superimposed.
Currently, a caption to be superimposed in a plurality of languages is transmitted by data broadcasting and the viewer can select one of the languages and display the caption of that language as superimposed on the corresponding television program.
Meanwhile, it is expected that television broadcasting stations will offer a large variety of television programs than ever in the coming years. Then, a caption may need to be superimposed in a plurality of languages simultaneously.
However, when a caption is superimposed in more than one languages simultaneously, it may be displayed in an overlapping manner. Then, it will be difficult for the viewers watching the program and reading the caption to correctly recognize and understand it.
Known techniques relating to captions to be superimposed include those disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-65295 and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-234016. However, these documents do not describe anything about dissolving the above identified problem that arises when displaying a caption in a plurality of languages simultaneously.